Gardening can be a great way to save money and eat the freshest food available, but it can also come with its fair share of frustrations. From pests to proper watering, there are a lot of factors involved, especially if you are using organic methods to avoid chemicals. Garden pest control is a constant battle...
Continue reading Organic Pest Control for Gardens (Natural Options)...
Hi friends! Popping in for an extra special post today about food anxiety and restaurants because this is something that I struggled with for a very long time and a topic I get DMs about all the time. I wanted this post to be mainly a Q&A (thank you, by the way, if you submitted!),...
The post Overcoming Food Anxiety At Restaurants appeared first on Fit Foodie Finds.
If my friends and family members met me for the first time around a decade ago, they wouldn’t recognize me. In fact, some of them are still awestruck at the changes I have gone through these past 10 years. You see, I used to be an addict.
The term is thrown around loosely nowadays, yet people forget about the seriousness of addiction as a mental health issue. That’s what it is, in reality. Addiction is an uncontrollable urge which was recognized as a disease by The American Medical Association in 1956.
If you manage to pull yourself out of your addiction abyss (some people never do), you’re confronted with a whole new set of challenges. For me, I had a difficult drug detox period while in prison. Then, one relapse after I got out, and endless moments when the cravings were so bad I was ready to say screw it and give in. Although I’m better at suppressing those cravings now, they never seem to go away in the end.
People deal with recovery in different ways. Some seek comfort in their friends and family, others go to therapy, a long-term residency at rehab, outpatient programs, and so on. Rehab centers have been immensely successful. Yet, there are people who have a difficult time coping with their new lives after they are released and sober. This has led to the development of holistic approaches to post-rehab.
While none of these methods should be considered as your one and only solution in recovery, they can be effective when combined with a proper program. Methods include acupuncture, meditation, massage, reiki and yoga among others.
When I set my eyes on yoga as a holistic method, I was drawn tothe fact that it’s a way to exercise. Working out was highly recommended post-rehab. After doing research, I put it into practice and was fully satisfied with the results. Yoga can help you control your emotions, which in turn helps you control your cravings. It allowed me to build self-control, which was very important in the recovery process. I used yoga to replace the artificial high from drugs and alcohol with the natural one from breathing and meditation.
Yoga is split into 8 different paths, also known as limbs. When people think of yoga they think of breathing and stretching, when in reality those are only a small part of it. In this article, we will look at how these limbs benefit your recovery. Let’s get started:
1. Yamas
Yamas are the first limb, and they deal with the behavior that one should have when practicing yoga. They consist of 5 different practices that we promise to ourselves when we begin yoga. The idea behind the Yamas is that we treat others the way we would like to be treated:
The five Yamas lay the groundwork for becoming a person who treats others with respect. Forgiveness and treating others well was a massive part of my recovery program. When I connected Yamas with the concept of acting with kindness, I felt more fulfilled and at ease with myself.
2. Niyamas
Similar to Yamas, Niyamas are the guidelines to our own ritualistic process. The way we nourish our mind, spirit, and body are the core standards for the Niyamas, which work in accordance with Yamas. They are:
The 5 Yamas in combination with the 5 Niyamas are your ten keys to success in the practice of yoga. You will adopt the traits necessary to complete your journey, while also applying those very same stages to your life in recovery.
3. Asana
Asana is the practice that you will see in any studio. People stretching, doing poses and breathing. The benefits of this limb are that you get to exercise your body while enhancing your spirituality. Your circulation is also improved with Asana, which means that your vital organs get that extra boost of blood they need to recover and detox.
Asana reduces stress and negative feelings. If you didn’t already know, challenging emotions are among the top reasons why people relapse. When you exercise through Asana you lose weight. This boosts self-confidence and provides a general feeling of self-satisfaction.
4. Pranayama
This limb focuses on the control of your breathing. It is an essential step in yoga, where different techniques can improve circulation, heart health, and mental health. A strong mind is vital in addiction recovery. Pranayama allows you to build that strength through breathing.
5. Pratyahara
Recovery can be hectic. You might stress, feel depressed and overwhelmed with the second chance you’ve received at life. Sometimes you want to get away from it all, and in fact, it’s important to withdraw from daily struggles every now and then. Pratyahara does exactly that. It’s a form of meditation which provides a well-needed rest while you restore your energy to continue on the path to recovery. Focus on each of your senses individually from touch to taste, and appreciate the moment. You will replenish your energy.
6. Dharana
The Dharana stage follows Pratyahara, and is translated to “concentration.” You use this stage to proceed with deep meditation after the initial steps of the previous stage. These two limbs combined are especially important when fighting the anxiety that may affect you in recovery
7. Dhyana
As you continue through the limbs of yoga, Dhyana builds upon Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, and Dharana. Dhyana is the step when full concentration is reached. People who manage to reach this level end up introspecting and gaining self-knowledge. Understanding who you are and setting clear goals for your future plans are main key points of a successful recovery.
8. Samadhi
Welcome to the stage of transcendence, where you have arrived at the high point in your practice. People in the Samadhi stage feel themselves ascend into conscious freedom, and the natural high that comes from yoga is unleashed. Recovering addicts often compare this feeling to the one they would have if they were to completely eliminate addiction from their lives.
Those are the 8 limbs of yoga, and the ways they connect to and aid in your recovery. Holistic practices are plenty, with researched benefits. Yoga has been my favorite because I saw amazing results and it pushed me to maintain my sobriety. I am now 10 years sober, and I have reached heights in my life that I never thought previously possible. Hopefully, yoga will have the same effects on you as it did on me.
Has yoga helped you recover? How? Let us know in the comments!
—————–
Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Andy Macia, a recovering drug addict/alcoholic with over 10 years sober. He was born in Bogota, Colombia, but raised in Los Angeles California. He is an avid rehab blogger and digital marketing entrepreneur.
Photo credit: Brian Crawford Photography on Instagram
I always prefer natural remedies for illness when it’s appropriate since they often shorten illness (rather than just relieve symptoms). Hand, foot, and mouth disease (strange as the name may be) is just another illness that is usually best tended to at home. What Is Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease? Hand, foot, and mouth disease...
Continue reading Natural Remedies for Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease...
I broke the news on IG yesterday that… MARK AND I BOUGHT A HOUSE!!!!!!!!! After looking at 50+ houses and bidding on 1 other house, we finally found a place to call our own. If you live in Minneapolis, then you know how crazy this market is. You have to be prepared to bid on...
The post OMGOMGOMG. We Bought a House!!! appeared first on Fit Foodie Finds.
The pull-up might be the best indicator of upper body strength.
Your arms and back have to do an enormous amount of work to lift your entire body, which is why being able to perform many reps is an effective way to improve not just the obvious muscles — your back, arms and forearms — but can also help you build incredible core strength.
In fact, as an exercise physiologist and strength coach, I’d go so far as to say that the pull-up is the world’s most under-appreciated way to develop your abs—and every other muscle in your midsection, for that matter.
All of that is great, but there’s one problem: It’s an exercise that gives a lot of people a lot of trouble, regardless of whether you’ve been training for years or just started.
If you are struggling to perform a pull-up — or you wish you could do many more — I’ll share a few simple-to-learn techniques that aren’t taught enough and will change everything about your pull-up performance.
By the time you’re done, you’ll not only be surprised by how quickly you can improve, but also by how many of the methods used to increase your upper body strength aren’t actually pull-ups.
If you can’t do any pull-ups, odds are you’ll blame it on your lack of back strength. To become stronger, you might start doing countless 1-arm rows and other dumbbell or barbell exercises.
While those exercise will make you stronger (and are a part of the solution), they won’t guarantee that you’ll be able to do more pull-ups. That’s because pull-ups aren’t just about your back.
Even if you have a really strong back, you can struggle with pull-ups if you have a weak core.
Core stiffness, or being able to create tension throughout your torso, is a key part of successfully doing a pull-up.
Your shoulder blades are connected to your torso. A stiff, stable core gives your arms something strong to pull on. And that can have a massive impact on your ability to lift your body.
So if you are struggling with your pull-ups—or can’t do a pull-up at all—train your core with these moves.
(If you prefer to watch all tips, here’s a video breaking down a lot of the progressions we’ll discuss today. In it, you’ll see my friend and fellow coach Tony Gentilcore demonstrating a lot of the moves discussed here.)
Start by lying on the floor. Lift your arms overhead (biceps in line with your ears), keeping your elbows straight.
Cross your hands and your ankles. Then press your hands and ankles into each other to create tension, and lift up into the hollow body position.
Let’s talk about that term “hollow” for a second. You might hear it and think: “belly button to spine.” DON’T DO THAT.
In a good hollow position, your abs are securely braced, as if they were about to take a punch. Take a breath in and squeeze. If anything, your abs will move slightly outward.
Start by holding a hollow body position while pressing your hands into each other and pressing your ankles into each other. This builds some of the body tension related to the position of hanging from a bar.
Hold this position for 5 seconds or 2-3 breaths per rep, maintaining as much head-to-toe tension as you can (more on how to create tension). Take a 5-second break, then repeat for 5-6 reps per set. Over time, you can increase the duration of your holds. If you can maintain tension for a full minute, that’s really good.
Next, you’re going to use a dowel or broomstick. Hold it in both hands as if it were the pull-up bar.
Start with your arms straight and elbows locked out, as if you were hanging from a pull-up bar. Then, while you hold the hollow position, bend your elbows to pull the bar across your face and toward your chest line, mimicking the pull-up movement.
The goal here is to maintain the core strength requirement while including an arm movement that replicates the pull-up—all while trying to breathe.
Hold the hollow body and try to complete 8-10 reps, breathing out as the bar comes to your collarbone.
Are you a boss at the hollow body work? Great! Then it’s time to take it up another notch.
You can create some additional arm stimulus, and increase the challenge to your core, by doing a leg raise. Keep both knees locked out and cross one foot over the other. Pull down on the stick and lift your toes toward it. You may even be able to touch your toes to the bar, depending on your level of strength and control.
The big thing to remember here is to maintain tension throughout your lats to help pull your torso up. Squeeze the bar as hard as you can in your hands and think about pulling down on the bar as much as you are pulling up with your legs. This tension in your arms, back and core will help you lift your legs more easily.
Perform a set of 5-8 reps.
Another exercise that develops core stiffness is a stability ball rollout. There are two ways you can perform the movement, and both are helpful to your pull-up quest.
Option #1: Try to keep your abs tensed and press your hips forward, allowing your arms to extend out as you move. Then pull back with your hips. This version will place more emphasis on your abs and lower back, while taking some of the work off of your shoulders
Option #2: Do the same thing as you did in option #1, but use your lats to try and pull the ball back with your elbows to return to the starting position. In this version the shoulder angle is changing, which means the muscles that control the shoulders will be under greater load.
Complete 5-10 reps of either option, or both if you’re a little crazy.
Before you start pulling, it’s helpful to build your skill hanging from the bar.
You might struggle at maintaining a dead hang from the bar due to grip strength. Hanging for 10-30 seconds can be a simple and very effective way to build the grip strength needed to perform pull-ups.
When you can conquer that challenge with ease, your next goal is pulling your shoulders down and tight to your ribs while holding the same hollow body position you used on the ground.
Hold that position for 5 seconds per rep, breathing out forcefully with each contraction.
Have the hollow body hang down cold? Good. You can add in some leg raises to really take it up a notch.
Start with a bent knee leg raise. The key is to not sway.
If that’s no problem, try a straight leg raise. Again, you want to avoid rocking back and forth. The movement should be slow and controlled.
In all likelihood, you will find at least one of these moves challenging. Because your goal with these is quality, not quantity, you can use “micro sets” to accumulate volume. Try to hit 10 amazingly good reps total. To do that, you might need to perform 5 sets of 2, or 4 sets of 2-to-3, or 3 sets of 3, and so on.
If you wanted to get a little crazy, you could try to bring your toes to the bar. Use your arms to help pull-up on your torso to get a more horizontal angle on the movement.
Now let’s “grease the groove” of the movement in a way that will help you develop strength if you’re a beginner, and provide value if you’re more advanced.
The flexed arm hang is a simple, yet underutilized move that will have all the muscles in your back and arms firing hard.
To perform the move, just grab the bar and jump up. Keeping your chest as close to the bar as possible, hang there as long as you can tolerate. When you start to feel yourself coming down, fight the lowering for 3-5 seconds so you can get some eccentric strength development out of the move.
Try to maintain 10 to 30 seconds per hold, accumulating up to 30 seconds in a workout. For eccentric reps, try to keep it to a max of 5 reps of 3-5 second eccentric lowering unless you want to look like a T-Rex for a few days after your workout because you’re too sore to extend your elbows.
Once you are able to do flexed arm hangs (and the 3-5 second lowering) with skill and control, you should be ready to try the pull-up.
If you want to ease yourself into the movement, start by using a band for assistance.
The thicker the band, the more assistance it provides. Similarly, placing two feet in the band versus just one gives you more help when you perform the move.
Start with the thickest band you need in order to execute the move, then work down to smaller, thinner bands over time.
(More ways to use resistance bands in your workouts here.)
So how do you put all of this together into a realistic pull-up training plan you could use on a regular basis? Glad you asked.
You want to “train for the movement” frequently. Three to four times a week is ideal.
Notice I said “train for the movement” and not “train the movement itself.” That’s because not all of your sessions need to include pull-ups. In fact, you’ll only perform actual pull-ups one day per week on this plan.
Here’s a sample calendar of what this pull-up training plan looks like:
Hollow Body Holds – 4 sets x 5 reps/set x 5 second hold per rep
Bar Hangs – 4 x sets x 6 reps/set x 5 second hold per rep
Flexed Arm Hang – accumulate 30 seconds
Hanging Shoulder Shrugs – 4 sets x 5 reps/set x 5 second hold per rep
Hollow Body Horizontal pull-ups – 4 sets x 8-10 reps/set
Hanging Leg Raises – 10 total reps
Hollow Body Leg Raises – 4 sets x 5-8 reps of smooth controlled tension
Eccentric pull-ups – 4 x sets of 4-5 reps working on 3-5 second eccentrics
**If you can’t do a pull-up, perform…
Band Assisted Pull-ups – aim for a max of 3 reps per set
** If you can do pull-ups, then….
Pull-ups – start with a single max set, then perform 3 sets of 50% of this number. For instance, if you do 6 on the first set, do 3 sets of 3.
Following this pattern will help you develop pull-up specific strength in your back and arms and the core stiffness needed to accomplish the movement. Since there are a max of three moves per session, you can combine this simple calendar with your current training program.
Pull-ups may never be easy. But by training for them specifically, you’ll soon be able to do a lot more than you think.
The Fastest Way to Do More Pushups
The Tension Weightlifting Technique: How to Make Every Exercise More Effective
Do Carbs Actually Make You Fat?
Dean Somerset is a kinesiologist, strength coach, author and public speaker who specializes in injury and medical dysfunction management through exercise program design. The seriously in-depth “The Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint,” which Somerset and Tony Gentilcore teamed up to create, is available now. Born Fitness is not an affiliate and has no financial stake or interest in the product, but we do genuinely think Dean and Tony are rad, and are way better at pull-ups thanks to their knowledge.
The post How Anyone Can Master the Pull-up appeared first on Born Fitness.
If you’re looking for an interesting variation on coffee, give coffee kombucha a try (it’s an interesting taste for sure!). But if you’re looking for healthy coffee alternatives, keep reading. Why Not Drink Coffee? There are many reasons someone may want to skip their morning “cuppa.” One reason is that it may not be that...
Continue reading Healthy and Caffeine-Free Coffee Alternatives...
Happy Tuesday! Before we dive into our Ask Angela Q&As, I’d like to share this short Oh She Glows Reader Survey. I’m really curious to hear what you would love to see more (or less) of to help guide the future of the blog. Your feedback and input mean the WORLD to me, and I’d be so grateful if you could take a couple minutes to fill out the survey!
In case you missed it, don’t forget to check out last Friday’s Mini Cookie Dough Fudge Pops recipe, too. I’ve deemed these my official “treat yo self” popsicle of the summer!
Q1. Hi Angela, I love your blog, app, books, and newsletter. Although I am not vegan, I am gluten- and dairy-free, so I find a lot of your recipes very helpful. I especially love those five-ingredients-or-less recipes. Can you list out some Oh She Glows recipes that have just a few ingredients? Keep up the great work!
Hi Marion, thanks so much for your question! I’m so excited to share this new OSG blog page complete with over 50 short ingredient recipes. I hope you find it helpful—it might be handy to bookmark the page for future reference, too! A big thanks to Nicole and Terra for compiling the recipe list.
Q2. What kind of popsicle molds do you use? I’m on the hunt and not sure which kind to buy!
Hi there, the Zoku Mini Pop Molds are my absolute favourite—the popsicles are SO easy to remove, and I find they’re the perfect size for kids. I also have these GoGoGu Popsicle Molds for larger popsicles (although they do require running under hot water to remove from the mold).
Q3. Hi Angela! My friend gave me your cookbook for my 50th birthday and now I’m a huge fan. I am allergic to walnuts, peanuts, and sesame seeds, and am wondering what nut I can substitute for the walnuts in your Lentil-Walnut Taco Meat? I am thinking pecans or cashews, but I would appreciate your take. Thank you!
Hey Yolanda, thank you! That’s so sweet of your friend to gift my cookbook. I often sub in toasted pepita seeds for a nut-free version of this taco meat (I’d recommend using 3/4 to 1 cup in this recipe). There is also a delicious seed-based taco “meat” recipe in my Easy Nut-Free Taco Salad from the app! The taco crumble is a great recipe to store in your fridge for the workweek too.
Q4. Hi Angela, thanks for posting about the nutrition powerhouses you’re loving lately. :) Could you post where you buy the microgreens and the Sprout Living Freeze-Dried Sprout Mix?
Hey Gauri, I’m happy to share! I buy microgreens at Fortinos, Metro, Organic Garage, or Whole Foods grocery stores and the sprout mix from Whole Foods. When Whole Foods has their supplement and protein powder sale, I buy a few and freeze them for later use. You can also find the sprout mix online here.
Q5. While I typically freeze soups/stews and snack foods like muffins and bars, I’m wondering if you have any suggestions for summer-friendly meal freezing? A lot of my go-to freezer meals are great for winter, but not what I would like to eat in the heat!
Hey Christina, I love the idea of freezing summer-friendly foods! I never think to do that, but your question inspired me. I rounded up some of my recipes for easy summer freezing below. I hope this helps get your wheels turning!
– Lentil-Walnut Taco Meat, for making my gluten-free taco wraps
– Gazpacho, to take advantage of all the upcoming summer veggies
– Veggie burgers and balls, great to have on hand for barbecues
– Cooked grains and beans, for easy-to-throw-together meals like my Summer Glow Buddha Bowl
– Chia seed pudding, for a quick, customizable breakfast or snack
– Soups, like my Summer Harvest Tortilla Soup from The Oh She Glows Cookbook, p. 135 (just leave off the tortilla strips until serving!) or Metabolism-Revving Spicy Cabbage Soup (Oh She Glows Every Day, p. 139) made in the slow cooker so you don’t have to turn the oven on
“Hi Angela, I was recently at a 10-day meditation retreat at Elohee Retreat Center in Georgia where they used many recipes from your Oh She Glows Cookbook. I arrived at the retreat with a full-blown case of bronchitis (yes, I wondered if I should stay home) and left 10 days later healed and feeling better than I have in a long time.
Sure, the meditation was a big factor in my getting better, but I am also convinced that the food was another huge reason. And I wasn’t the only person who constantly pestered the kitchen staff for the recipes! Long story short, I’ve gotten a copy of your book, but I’m also thrilled to find more recipes on your blog!
Thank you for being you, and for sharing yourself with us.
Pam”
Hey Pam, thank you so much for your lovely note! The retreat sounds like it was a healing one. I’m so honoured that the chefs referred to my cookbook for their menu…what a cool way to share OSG recipes. I’m excited for you to dive into more recipes. There are over 600 on the blog alone so you may be a busy bee for the next little while. ;) Happy cooking!
If you are looking for an easy weeknight meal-prep idea the answer is Instant Pot Chicken Breast! You can prepare frozen chicken in the Instant Pot or thawed chicken in the Instant Pot. From there you can prepare shredded chicken or blackened chicken! Either way is super easy to whip up at any time during the...
The post Instant Pot Chicken Breast appeared first on Fit Foodie Finds.
I must admit… when the capsule wardrobe trend took over Pinterest, I was mostly uninterested. As a mom, I based my wardrobe much more on function and flexibility. Times like pregnancy and nursing required certain types of clothes and limited my options. Then, I discovered the concept of a kids’ capsule wardrobe. Freedom from endless laundry,...
Continue reading How My Kids’ Capsule Wardrobe Simplified My Life (& Laundry)...
I have admired the work of today’s guest for years and I can’t wait to share him with you. His name is Tero Isokauppila and he’s leading a worldwide mushroom movement. You might have heard of Tero since I talk all the time about his company Four Sigmatic and how I love their amazing mushroom...
Continue reading 163: Fascinating Fungi and How to Use Medicinal Mushrooms With Tero Isokauppila...
In less than 30 minutes you’ll have these high-protein egg muffins prepped for the entire week! These bacon wrapped egg cups are made with just 2 ingredients and are gluten-free and paleo-friendly. Per 1 egg cup you get 9g protein, 0g carb, and 0g sugar! Happy Memorial Day! Mark and I are on our way...
The post Bacon Wrapped Egg Cups appeared first on Fit Foodie Finds.
The post Sweet Potato and Black Bean Shepherd’s Pie appeared first on DeliciouslyElla.
Oh boy did I spend a lot of time getting this popsicle recipe just right. I’m picky about my popsicles (okay, really, I’m super picky about every recipe I share), and I’m SO happy with how these finally turned out—I have to say, eating dozens of fudge pops has really paid off…hah!
As much as I love making my kids healthy popsicles, for this recipe I set out to create a decadent fudge pop for adults and older kids. The other day I said to Nicole (OSG’s incredible recipe tester), “Why should little kids have all the fun?!” She wholeheartedly agreed that us grown-ups need an indulgent popsicle recipe for ourselves, too! After testing these pops, Nicole wrote back and said, “Oh my, these are Amazing AF (As Fudge, ha!). Thank you a million times…I will be eating these all summer.” She cracks me up!
I started by creating a super-easy vegan cookie dough…let me tell you, this stuff is dangerously easy to whip up. Even if for some crazy reason you don’t make the fudge pops, these cookie dough chunks can be used a million different ways (like for topping banana soft serve or throwing into homemade blizzards).
I rolled the cookie dough between two pieces of parchment paper and cut the dough into chunks after freezing it. After that, I made a rich and creamy fudge base starring melted dark chocolate and coconut cream. DREAMY!! Then I simply alternated layering the base and cookie dough chunks in my popsicle molds (these are my all-time favourite mini molds!) and stuck them in the freezer. Just a few hours later, we were diving into decadent fudge pops studded with chunks of the most heavenly cookie dough. You won’t believe these delicious pops are dairy-free, I can promise you that!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Walmart. The opinions and text are all mine. Are you ready for a mouthwatering vegan pasta salad recipe? This Creamy Greek Pasta Salad with Cashew Vegan Pesto packs in all the Greek flavor with a homemade cashew pesto sauce and is made with fresh,...
The post Creamy Greek Pasta Salad with Cashew Vegan Pesto appeared first on Fit Foodie Finds.
You know “That Guy”. He’s confident, his cholesterol’s in check, he’s not embarrassed to take his shirt off in public, and he doesn’t get winded playing with his kids (or grandkids).
After coaching thousands of clients, I can confidently say: Wanting to be ‘That Guy’ can either propel you toward your goal… or completely paralyze you. Here’s what to do about it.
++++
You know “That Guy?” The one who looks good, seems effortlessly fit, exudes confidence, and just seems to have it all together?
Ever wished (maybe secretly) that you could be more like him?
Turns out most guys are (also secretly) wishing the same thing.
In this article, I’m going to tell you the truth about That Guy, and what it takes to live a “That Guy” kind of life.
(Hint: it’s not what you think.)
I’ll also show you how to use this kind of comparison to work for you, instead of against you.
++++
Before digging in, however, I wanted to let you know that soon we’ll be opening up spots in our Precision Nutrition Coaching program.
You see, twice a year we work with small groups of men and women hoping to look better, feel better, and gain control over their health and fitness.
Over the course of 12 months together, we help them get into the best shape of their lives… and stay that way for good.
For a sneak peek at the amazing things we’ve helped our clients accomplish, check out this short video:
Meet some of the people whose bodies — and lives — have been changed by Precision Nutrition Coaching.
